The cue card
Describe an elderly person you respect.
You should say:
- who this person is
- how you know him or her
- what this person is like
and explain why you respect this person.
You have one minute to make notes, then speak for one to two minutes.
Band 8–9 sample answer
Written by Abroadway as a model of natural, high-band speaking (not an official IELTS sample).
An elderly person I have a great deal of respect for is a retired headmaster who lives in my grandparents' village, not far from Sylhet town. He must be well over eighty by now, and although his real name is Abdul Karim, almost everyone, including my grandparents, still calls him Headmaster Sahib, even though he left the school about twenty years ago. I know him because his house is right next to my grandparents' house, separated only by a small pond and a row of betel nut trees. Whenever we visited during the winter holidays, I used to wander over there, partly out of curiosity and partly because he always kept a tin of biscuits on his veranda.
Over time, those visits turned into long conversations, and now, whenever I go back to the village, seeing him is one of the first things I do. In terms of personality, he's an unusual mix of strict and gentle. He has firm opinions, particularly about punctuality and handwriting, and he'll correct your grammar mid-sentence without a second thought. But he's also extraordinarily patient.
I've watched him spend an entire afternoon helping a neighbour's son with algebra, completely free of charge, and he still reads the newspaper from cover to cover every morning with a magnifying glass. The main reason I respect him is that he's spent his whole life quietly serving his community without expecting anything in return. Back when very few girls in the area finished school, he apparently went from house to house persuading parents to let their daughters carry on studying, and several of those girls are now teachers themselves. I also admire the fact that he's never stopped learning.
At his age, most people would be content to rest, but only last winter he asked me to show him how to make video calls so that he could talk to his grandson in London.
Useful phrases from this answer
- without a second thought
- immediately, without stopping to think
- free of charge
- without asking for any money
- from cover to cover
- the whole thing, from the first page to the last
- without expecting anything in return
- not wanting any reward for helping
- a sense of perspective
- the ability to judge how important something really is
- round-the-clock support
- help that is available 24 hours a day
- fill the gaps
- provide what is missing
- put considerable pressure on
- create serious difficulties for
Part 3 follow-up questions and answers
What can young people learn from older people?
Quite a lot, I think, especially things that can't easily be found online. Older people have lived through hardship, political change and sometimes real poverty, so they often have a sense of perspective that young people lack; they know that most crises eventually pass. They can also pass on practical skills, like cooking traditional dishes, repairing things or managing money carefully, which younger generations are in danger of losing. On a personal level, hearing an older relative talk honestly about their own mistakes can be far more convincing than any lecture. Of course, the learning should go both ways, since young people can help the elderly adapt to technology.
How are elderly people usually looked after in your country?
In Bangladesh, most elderly people are still looked after by their own families, traditionally by their sons and daughters-in-law, although daughters are increasingly involved too. It's widely seen as a moral and religious duty, and many people would consider it shameful to put their parents in an institution. In villages, older people are usually part of a large household, so there is nearly always someone around to help them. In cities, however, the situation is becoming more complicated, because flats are smaller and both partners often work full-time. As a result, some urban families now rely on paid carers or nurses to fill the gaps during the day.
Do families today take care of their older relatives as well as they did in the past?
I'd say they try just as hard, but circumstances make it more difficult. In the past, extended families lived together and the women of the household were usually at home, so caring for elderly parents fitted naturally into daily life. Today, many young people migrate to cities or abroad for work, which means parents are sometimes left alone in the village with only occasional visits. Financially, older people may actually be better supported now, since their children send money home. Emotionally, though, I think there's a real risk of loneliness, because a monthly bank transfer can't replace having your grandchildren around you.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of care homes for the elderly?
The main advantage is that care homes can provide professional, round-the-clock support that many families simply can't manage, particularly for people with serious conditions like dementia. Residents also have company of their own age and organised activities, which can reduce isolation. On the other hand, the quality varies enormously, and in poorly run homes residents can be neglected or treated as a burden. There's also the emotional cost: many older people, especially in cultures like ours, feel abandoned if they're moved out of the family home. So I'd argue care homes work best when the move is a choice made together with the older person, rather than a decision imposed on them.
How might an ageing population affect a country's economy in the future?
It's likely to put considerable pressure on public finances. As the proportion of older people rises, governments will probably have to spend more on pensions and healthcare, while there may be fewer working-age people paying the taxes that fund them. Businesses could also face labour shortages, which might push up wages or force them to rely more on automation and immigration. That said, it isn't all negative. Older consumers create demand in sectors like healthcare, leisure and specialised housing, and many people are now healthy enough to keep working well beyond the traditional retirement age, so their experience could remain an asset rather than a cost.
Practise this cue card out loud
Free, no account needed. Use Chrome or Edge with a microphone; you'll get a band estimate for fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.
Want the technique behind a strong Part 2? Read the free Speaking lessons.